HHS Secretary Kennedy Announces Management Team Changes
Last week, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced several changes to his management team at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to accelerate adoption of President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan and the Make America Healthy Again agenda, according to a release.
As part of these changes, Chris Klomp will become Chief Counselor at HHS and oversee all operations of the department. In addition, Kennedy has named Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham as Senior Counselors for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Diamantas will continue to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, and Graham will continue to serve as Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs.
Learn more by clicking here.
FDA Will Reassess Use of Preservative BHT
On February 10, 2026, FDA launched a comprehensive reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in food to consider whether BHA is safe under its current conditions as a food contact substance. Recognized as GRAS in 1958 and approved as a food additive in 1961, BHA is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils.
For decades, health advocates have raised potential safety concerns regarding the use of BHA. The National Institute of Health’s National Toxicology Program lists BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies.
Learn more by clicking here.
Former AFDO Endowment Foundation Chair John C. Young Dies at 87
John C. Young, a longtime supporter of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, serving as Chair of the AFDO Endowment Foundation Board of Trustees, died February 10 at 87 years old. Young, an attorney, was a partner at Young and Associates in Stowe, Vermont. Previously, Young was Director of Regulatory Affairs-Nutritionals for the McNeil Consumer Healthcare Company. He began his career as a trial attorney for the Food and Drug Division of the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in Washington, D.C., becoming Chief of the Litigation Branch of the Division. He was active in AFDO for more than 30 years, serving on several committees in addition to his work with the Endowment Foundation.
AFDO will share a full obituary and more information on funeral and memorial services if they’re made available. We at AFDO extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. If you would like to send your condolences to Young’s family, please reach out to afdo@afdo.org.
AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee Webinar Series Continues
Presented by Dr. John MacKay, Founder and CEO of Synergistic Technologies Research, LLC, this two-part webinar is part of an ongoing AFDO Cannabis, Hemp, and Natural Psychedelics Committee webinar series.
Principles and Practice in Assessing Compliance of Cannabis Manufacturing — Part One seeks to assist regulators in developing a consistent, shared language for concentration processes, risk assessment, and compliance within the cannabis extraction industry.
Date: February 27, 2026
Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Register Here
Principles and Practice in Assessing Compliance of Cannabis Manufacturing — Part Two seeks to link regulatory expectations to real-world risks. Each section of the seminar is directly tied to common real-world risks encountered in cannabis manufacturing.
Date: March 13, 2026
Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Register Here
Expert Panel Holds Roundtable Discussion on Food Allergies
The FDA Expert Panel on Food Allergieswill facilitate discussions on the etiology and best treatments for food allergies as well as current health guidelines on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, in the Great Room at the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland. The session is open to the public and members of the media; it will also be live-streamed over the FDA’s YouTube channel.
Space is limited. Registration is only required for in-person attendance.
CEA Alliance Meeting Attendees Learn About AFDO Resources and Collaboration
AFDO Produce Safety Director Brenda Morris spoke at the CEA Alliance Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. She joined Monica Noble, Vice President, Quality and Safety, at 80 Acres and Chair of the CEA Alliance Food Safety Working Group, and Dr. Laura Strawn, Food Safety Consultant to CEA Alliance in a presentation called “Industry/Regulatory/Research Collaboration to Drive Food Safety.”
Learn more about the Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance here.
Registration Open! 2026 AEC Is in Columbus, Ohio, This June
This year’s AFDO Annual Educational Conference will be June 5-9, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. Get ready for five days of educational sessions focused on three content tracks. Make new connections with peers and find out how they are managing common challenges.
🎥 Click Here to Watch AFDO Executive Director Steven Mandernach’s Early Preview of 2026 AFDO AEC.
New for this year: Pre-conference activities kick off Friday, June 5, with the opening evening session on Saturday, June 6.
Early bird registration is open until April 15, so register ASAP to get the discounted rate.
AFDO members get an additional discount for the annual conference.
Not a current member? You can save an additional $100 off the early bird price by joining AFDO or renewing your membership now. It’s like getting the year-round benefit of an AFDO membership FREE. Learn more and join now by visiting here.
Visit the conference website here.
AFDO.org Pro Tips
Language Translation Resource in the Field
In this new regularly updated eNews section, AFDO staffers will share their pro tips on how to get the most from afdo.org. Assistant Program Director Autumn Schuck offers pro tips on how to get the most out of AFDO’s Language Translation resources.
“We built the resource format around inspector use because we saw inspectors conducting inspections and having trouble explaining something due to a language barrier. In walks AFDO language resources. Find the language, find the topic — and boom! There is a resource to show them all from your phone.”
Pro Tip: Experienced inspectors might know the challenges ahead, so they often will look on the website prior to the inspection so they can have easy access while they are in the building. The videos are all in one spot too, making it an easy educational format.
ICYMI: Worth Another Look
FDA Completes More Steps in Transition From Artificial Food Coloring
On February 5, 2026, the FDA took more steps to transition the U.S. food supply from the use of artificial petroleum-based colors to alternatives derived from natural sources. Companies will now be able to claim that products contain “no artificial colors” if the products have no petroleum-based colors. In the past, companies were only able to make such claims when their products had no added color whatsoever.
Additionally, the agency also approved beetroot red, a new color option, and approved the expanded use of spirulina extract, an existing color additive derived from a natural source.
For further details, click here.
Support Collaboration and Best Practices Nationwide
The AFDO Foodborne Outbreak and Emergency Response Committee is asking for your help in giving retail food establishments emergency response tools and resources for use during incidents. If your program has guidance, checklists, templates, website links, or other tools concerning power outages, natural disasters, foodborne illness, or outbreak events, please share with the committee.
Complete the survey by March 6, 2026, to help the committee as it begins compiling information.
AFDO Board Member Ferguson Earns Recognition From AAFCO
AFDO board member Ashlee-Rose Ferguson earned national recognition for her service and leadership when presented with a Presidential Award from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) at its 2026 Midyear Meeting in early February. Ferguson is the AAFCO Secretary-Treasurer & AFDO Liaison and also serves as the Animal Feed Program manager for the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Learn more about AAFCO here.
New Article Discusses Ink Placement and Whether Tattooing Is an Injection
New research regarding the mechanics of ink placement during tattooing and whether or not tattooing should be considered an injection was published recently in the peer-reviewed journal, Science Direct. Author Sasha Noble is part of the Swierk Team that researches tattoo ink at Binghamton University, and she also presented in the Body Art Track at the 2025 AFDO Educational Conference.
Read the article here.
Regional Affiliate News
AFDOSS AEC Set for Gatlinburg August 23-26
Association of Food and Drug Officials of the Southern States (AFDOSS) is hosting this year’s AEC back in Gatlinburg August 23-26. Stay tuned afdoss.org for more registration and hotel block info coming soon. For anyone interested in being a conference sponsor this year, the AFDOSS AEC team is searching for sponsorships. If you’re interested in sponsoring or donating items for raffles, gift bags, etc., contact AFDOSS Treasurer Craig Nielsen at afdoss.craig@gmail.com.
